This invention relates to a system for molding a design with hot moldable asphalt onto a surface.
The aesthetic appearance of roads, parking lots and driveways, particularly those made of asphalt, can be improved by providing a pattern or design on the surface, which for example, can be made to resemble brick, cobblestone, stone, or the like.
Various methods for imprinting asphalt or concrete have been attempted, or proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,832,079 and 3,910,711 to Moorhead describe a concrete or paving forming apparatus and process whereby a roller forms a pattern in the pavement and an intervening sheet of plastic film is said to prevent binding and gouging of the pavement surface. U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,354 to Bowman shows a wheel-like imprinting device having blades on a circular frame, and is propelled and ballasted by a person. U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,402 to Stowell and Zaseybida describes a grid-like xe2x80x9ctemplatexe2x80x9d, comprising cables, that is progressively compressed into, and lifted from, the previously rolled asphalt surface. This method is labor intensive and leaves many defects caused by the multiple seams and also by the process of compressing with rollers or plates. Furthermore, the round cable, due to the shape, tends to shift making non-uniform patterns. The slower process also causes problems with maintaining proper temperature of the asphalt. With this proposal if the temperature of the asphalt is too hot, it is difficult to prevent the template from sinking and getting buried in the asphalt resulting in damage to the surface when removed, and if the asphalt is too cold, it is difficult to imprint the asphalt. Because of this, it is difficult to insert the template to a uniform depth. Also, the cable is difficult to remove from the asphalt due to the cross-sectional shape of the cable and the shape of the impression that it produces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,511, to Ross, discloses an apparatus for imprinting a pattern on the surface of asphalt comprising an endless belt having pattern forming elements mounted on a pair of rollers, and a weighted roller for pressing the belt into the asphalt. This apparatus is suitable for imprinting regularly repeating patterns over a considerable length, but is not well suited for imprinting smaller or non-repeating patterns, such as circular or other non-linear patterns.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/619,443 to Ross discloses a system for molding a pattern on the surface of heated asphalt that involves inserting a mesh into previously laid asphalt and then rolling over the mesh and asphalt to mold the asphalt and compact the asphalt about the mesh.
An object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple system for applying a molded pattern of asphalt onto a surface.
It has been found that a pattern can be applied onto a surface by a system utilizing a flexible molding mesh, preferably made of elastic material, depositing hot moldable asphalt to the open spaces of the mesh and rolling to compact and mold the the deposited asphalt about the mesh.
The present invention provides a system for molding a design onto a surface comprising: providing an asphalt molding mesh comprising pattern molding elements formed of a flexible material having a generally V-shaped cross-section in a configuration corresponding to a pattern to be molded in the asphalt, wherein the molding mesh is in the form of an open mesh, defining open spaces between the molding elements; positioning the molding mesh onto the surface; depositing hot asphalt into the open spaces between the molding elements, and levelling the asphalt; rolling over the mesh and asphalt to facilitate adherence of the asphalt to the surface and to mold and compact the asphalt about the mesh; applying water to the surface of the asphalt while rolling to limit the heating and buckling, and sticking of the mesh; and, after rolling removing the molding mesh from the asphalt.